“You have a republic, if you can keep it.”—reliably attributed to Benjamin Franklin, at the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787. With that as our text in mind for this parlous and yet inspiring Independence Day celebration, two threads tying our...

In connection with an ongoing research/whitepaper project, further about which affiant sayeth not, I had occasion to look at the Original AmLaw 50 from 1985. Here are the first three columns: Rank, firm, and gross revenue: Aside from the historic time warp we...

From the redoubtable David Warsh of Economic Principals: When the Nobel Prizes were established, in 1901, the Nobel Foundation for perhaps a decade sought to spirit laureates into Stockholm in order that they should be available when their recognition was announced....

If you haven’t yet heard about Above the Law‘s “Converge” conference coming up here in NYC on Wednesday, March 18th, you’re about to. It’s a full-day conference at the marvelous University Club (Fifth @ 54th, McKim, Mead and White,...

Dear Reader: From my long-time friend Stephen Denyer in London (Head of City and International at The Law Society) comes this: Dear Bruce: Might I take a moment to emphasise how welcome all Adam Smith followers worldwide will be at the Global Law Summit taking place...

Around this time of year the Nobel Prize in Economics is awarded, and while we don’t always cover it here on Adam Smith, Esq., this year’s is worth a note. As everyone who cares about these things an iota knows by now, the winner was Jean Tirole of...